“What are you doing here? Haven’t you made my life hell as it is? Or do
you want to make that little bit more?”
“Is that anyway to talk to your father Brianna?” he asked and started
walking towards me in the forest.
“You aren’t my father! You haven’t been since you walked out of my
life all those years ago!” I screamed.
Someone placed a hand on my shoulder, making me look over it.
Nathaniel was standing there with a concerned look on his face. I low-
ered my eyes and didn’t say a single word to give Nathaniel even more
reason for him to worry or lose his vampiric temper with me again. I
didn’t want to start fighting with Nathaniel in front of my drop dead
man of a father.
“Brianna please calm down. For me at least,” he whispered, but I
didn’t take any notice of him.
“Who’s this teenage punk?” Saul asked, making me look at him.
“Someone you don’t need to know about,” I replied, not wanting to
give anything away to him. “And he isn’t a teenage punk!”
“I beg to differ on this one Brianna. I do need to know who this boy
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is that is hanging around my daughter and I don’t care if he is or isn’t a
punk Brianna.”
“If you must know, I am Nathaniel Norwood; Brianna’s boyfriend and
protector from people like you in this cruel, evil world,” Nathaniel re-
plied, his tone of voice extremely cold.
“Boyfriend?” Saul asked, sounding angry. “Brianna is too young to be
having a boyfriend, especially one that isn’t meant for her.”
Saul looked at me with questions and anger lacing his eyes, but I felt
that I didn’t have to explain myself to him. He was never in my life and
there was no way in hell that I was going to let him be in it now. I would
be insane to do so.
“Excuse me?” Nathaniel asked, but I wasn’t going to give either of
them a chance to start a fight. It was now my turn.
“Why do you even care? You haven’t been in my life for a very long
time so you have no right to say anything about that part of my life!” I
all but shouted at him, trying to keep my anger under control, but it was
seeping through the surface.
“I might not have been in your life, but I am still your father Brianna
and I have a right to know about this sort of stuff. And just for the rec-
ord, I don’t like him Brianna. You could have done much better than this
boy who doesn’t look human but looks like a plastic person that should
be in a television commercial of some sorts.”
“I don’t care what you think because you have no right to say any-
thing about my life. You have never been around to see the highs and
the lows.”
I was starting to shake with anger just from seeing my father in front
of me. Nathaniel placed a hand on my shoulder, but it did nothing to
help. I didn’t want Saul here and no matter what sort of comfort Na-
thaniel gave me, it wasn’t going to work while I knew he was still in this
town or even around this area.
“How is your mother going?” Saul asked.
“She is much better since you are out of her life and mine,” I replied,
hoping to hit in where it hurts.
“I wouldn’t mind catching up with your mother,” Saul announced,
making me clench my teeth. “It would be nice to see how she is doing
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through my own eyes.”
“Well the way Marie talks about you, I think she will end up killing
you with her bare hands and I’ll be happy to watch. It is safe to say that
you aren’t welcome in her house or life anymore,” Nathaniel said, mak-
ing me look over at him.
I was glad that Nathaniel said something like that as I didn’t want to
think of something to say and my vampire boyfriend had bet me to the
punch. Saul looked at him and narrowed his eyes but didn’t say any-
thing. Saul took a step forward, making Nathaniel stand next to me and
glare down at my father, making him stop walking.
“Can I ask why you are even here?” Nathaniel asked his voice hard.
“I came to see my daughter,” Saul replied.
“Well I don’t want to see you ever again,” I spat, looking down at his
hands, seeing a silver band on his wedding ring finger. “You are mar-
ried? To who?”
“Why yes I am. Her name is Emily and she works at the most expen-
sive cake shop in Melbourne and can’t wait to meet her step daughter
when I bring her back to Melbourne with me after today,” he replied,
smirking.
“Oh, so your wife would have been the woman all over my boyfriend
when I was helping my friend plan her wedding to Nathaniel’s brother?”
I asked, giving it back to him, and so wanting to know what his response
would be to my question. “Oh and I will never return to Melbourne with
a complete moron like you. I’m happy here so why don’t you just go
back to where you came from and ever return?”
“What do you mean my wife was flirting with your boyfriend? She
isn’t that type,” Saul said, trying to make it look like I was lying.
“Oh you really think so?” Nathaniel asked, catching his attention.
“She was shooting death stares at Brianna, was acting completely rude
to my brother and his partner until she was told there was unlimited
money involved with the wedding cake and then left them in the dust
when I walked into the store. I think you need to have a talk to your
wife about her attitude to customers because they should not be treat-
ed like that as they will eventually move business to another shop.”
“Oh yeah? And what do your parents do?” Saul asked, getting smart
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but had no idea what power and strength Nathaniel had and what he
was capable of within a split second of losing his temper.
“My father owns a chemist and my mother works at a gift store as
one of the two managers and Brianna also works with her part time,”
Nathaniel replied, raising an eyebrow at Saul, daring him to challenge
him.
He didn’t reply to what Nathaniel told him. Realisation drawn onto
Saul’s face when he looked Nathaniel up and down for the first time. He
finally figured out that Nathaniel had a lot of money and a lot of money
usually meant a lot of power that could ruin my deadbeat of a father
and his bitch of a wife. They make a good couple.
My father looked at me, seeing the cold, hatred look I had on my
face towards him. I wasn’t going to forgive him and I was hoping that he
would see it on my face and give up.
“I think I should go,” Saul finally said.
“Good, and don’t return,” I said, turning on my heel and walking
away.
“Brianna wait!” Nathaniel yelled, but I didn’t stop.
“And I still don’t want to talk to you either,” I said, making my way
back along the path. “I’m completely livid with you right now Na-
thaniel.”
“Brianna please. I’m sorry for saying that. I know I shouldn’t have
said anything,” he admitted, making me stop and turn around.
“No, you shouldn’t have said that Nathaniel, but I’m in no mood to
forgive you and talk about this right now, so why don’t you just drop it?
You tell me do that with you so I think you can once in your life,” I
seethed, glaring at him.
“What has gotten into you Brianna?” Nathaniel asked, sounding
shocked.
“You really need to ask me that kind of question Nathaniel? Did that
man that was just standing in front of me not five minutes ago not tell
you anything?” I asked, flabbergasted.
“But you weren’t in a good mood even before you ran into him in
the Otway’s so something has made it worse and I think it is something
else besides your father,” Nathaniel pressed.
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“Nathaniel, I don’t want to talk about this so can you just leave it
alone?” I asked, hoping he would just give up.
“No Brianna. We are going to talk about this as I want to know what
is bothering you,” Nathaniel said, making my temper explode once
again today.
“Oh so I have to tell you everything that is wrong while you keep me
in the dark about what is going on with that freaky bird that is always
appearing out of nowhere lately? Relationships don’t work that way
Nathaniel! They never have and they never will be like that!” I exploded.
“Then what do you want to do Brianna? Break up until we know how
to deal with each other’s emotions and secret hiding talents? Is that
something you want to bloody do Brianna?” Nathaniel yelled.
“Maybe we should just do that Nathaniel!” I yelled back, making him
go extremely quiet with my choice of wording.
“Do you want to break up with me?” he asked, very quietly that I
had to strain my ears to hear him speak.
“Right now Nathaniel, I think that might be our only option with the
way we are going,” I replied.
“How can that be our only option Brianna? We can work through all
of these issues.”
“How Nathaniel? How? Every time we hide something from each
other, we end up having a massive fight. Just like we did before I ran
into my father and just like we are doing now. Again.”
“We just need to be more honest with each other baby. That is the
only way we can work through this without ending what we have going
for us.”
“I need some space. I’ll ring you tonight sometime to talk about what
is going on and what I have decided,” I muttered and walked away, leav-
ing him standing there in complete shock.
I finally got out of the ranges and took a deep breath. I didn’t want
to break up with Nathaniel but if I had to end the relationship, I had to.
“Well, well, well, I wasn’t expecting to see you walking the streets
without Nathaniel by your side,” Augusta said from behind me.
I closed my eyes and slowly turned around to look at the wicked
witch of the two towns. She had a smirk on her face and her arms
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crossed.
“What do you want Augie?” I asked, watching her cringe.
“Do not call me that,” she hissed.
“Then stop treating me like trash and then I will,” I retorted back.
“Where is Nathaniel, Brianna?” she asked, narrowing her eyes and
looking at me coldly.
“Why do you want to know Augusta?” I asked, crossing my arms.
“Just so I can talk to him about some things that have no concern to
you,” she replied, smirking.
“You mean my father?” I asked her, watching the smirk vanish from
her face to be replaced with a look of horror.
“How did you find out about that?” she growled, almost making me
take a step back away from her before she used some sort of violence
but I held my ground for a change and didn’t do otherwise, like my brain
was screaming at me to do.
“He found me and then announced that I was going back to Mel-
bourne with him without any warning, but as you can see, that didn’t
work out well for him or for you. Did you plan this so he would force me
to go back with him so you can have Nathaniel to yourself? Did you truly
think that I wouldn’t find out about this little plan nor did you really
think you would be able to get away with it and hurt me even more like
you have done over the past couple of months?” I hissed to her, seeing
her visibly swallow in what I was hoping in fear.
“So what if I did plan it Brianna? What are you going to do about it?
You have no proof that I have done anything and you never will,” she
told me, starting to play her usual game of trying to make me upset.
“Tell me the truth Augusta or I promise you I will make your life a
living hell like you are making mine right this second and all the other
times I have been around you and you have done something to make
me burst into tears,” I snarled in fury, making her take a step back away
from me.
Right now, I was that angry that I could have hurt her physically and
mentally, but I wasn’t that type. I refused to bring me down to her level
and I dead set refused to start playing her games.
“Alright I did. You deserve to be dragged back to Melbourne, kicking
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and screaming while Nathaniel and I can get our happily ever after! You
aren’t the one for him while I am and I won’t stop this until you end up
leaving town for good!” she yelled.
“Oh Augusta, I won’t be leaving town, no matter how badly you
want me gone and no matter how hard you try. I will be staying here for
a very long time, so I think you better get used to that; neighbour,” I
taunted.
“Taunting me won’t do anything for you Brianna so I wouldn’t do
that if I were you,” Augusta said, trying to scare me.
“Deal with it Augusta. Nathaniel will never be yours, no matter how
hard you try on that one too, and I sure as hell can play your game as
well, so you just remember that because I promise you now, I will play it
better than you ever could think I would,” I said, glaring at her and walk-
ing away, leaving her shell-shocked form.
I finally got home and froze solid when I saw who was on the front
porch. My mother and father were outside and I was sure hoping they
would be having a fight and mum would be giving back all the pain, grief
and torment that he put her through over the past fifteen years.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I asked walking towards where
he was standing.
“I’ve come to visit your mother,” Saul replied.
“And I told you to go and never return,” mum said, angrily.
“Now Marie, you don’t mean that. We can be a family like we were
all those years go before things changed,” Saul said to her, grabbing her
hand.
“What about your wife?” I asked, making him freeze. “You know, the
woman who was all over my boyfriend? Does she know that you are
here, trying to win back your ex and daughter so we can play happy
families like you want but we sure as hell don’t want happening anytime
soon?”
“Brianna, shut your mouth and don’t speak another word,” Saul spat,
looking towards me with anger in his eyes.
“Don’t you dare talk to my daughter that way,” mum said, slapping
him across the face hard. “Now get out of here and go back to your
trampy wife and stay the hell out of our lives. We are doing fine without
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you so we don’t need you back.”
“You don’t know what you are saying Marie. You need me more than
you think you do,” Saul said, trying to kiss her.
“She knows exactly what she is saying; now go!” I yelled, pointing
towards his car across the street. “Oh and before you do, cough up the
money you owe us before I get the big people involved.”
Saul slowly turned his head towards me, a look of shock written on
his face. I raised an eyebrow and tapped my foot on the ground, waiting
for another lie to come out of his mouth.
“I don’t know what you are talking about,” he finally said.
“Don’t lie. You know exactly what I am talking about and I’m sure
your wife knows about this as well,” I said, not playing nice when there
was money that my mum is owed involved. “You just don’t want to
hand anything over, like usual.”
“Brianna, I don’t owe any money to your mother.”
“Liar,” mum said, making him look at her. “You owe me money so
don’t you dare say that you don’t when you clearly know that you do.
Must I get my father involved? If you have forgotten, he was a lawyer
back in his prime and I’m sure that he will be able to take this through
the legal system, costing you more money than you owe me to pay your
legal fees.”
“You wouldn’t dare do that Marie.”
“You want a bet? I want that money you owe me and I will do any-
thing to get that. Give it to child support and then be done with it. I
don’t want any more ties with you besides my daughter. That was the
only good thing that came out of our relationship,” mum said, knowing
what she was saying to him would hurt.
“Why do you want that money so badly for?”
“Because you freaking owe that money and I’m sure you don’t want
another dint in your already long criminal record you got when you
were younger,” I said, smirking in satisfaction.
“That Nathaniel is not a good influence on you,” Saul said, narrowing
his eyes at me.
“Saul, this is who I am. I am brunt and straight to the point and I
would have turned out like this even if you had more contact in my life.
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This is who I am. Like it or lump it is all I have to say,” I said.
“Why are you calling me by my first name and not by what you
should be calling me? You should be calling me dad, not Saul.”
“You deserve to be called Saul and I know that Augusta planned for
your arrival to come here as I got it out of her. She was going to tell Na-
thaniel first as he might have hid it from me, but I got it out of her.”
A car pulled out the front, making me look over to the road, seeing
Beth and Jack get out of it. Beth raced up to mum placing a comforting
hand on her shoulder.
“Marie, I got your phone call,” she said.
“Who are you?” Saul spat.
“I happen to be Bethany Pryor. Who are you?” she asked Saul, being
intimidating.
“Saul Morrison, Brianna’s father,” he replied, putting on the charm.
“I’m happily married thank you very much,” she said quietly before
looking at mum. “What do you need help with my dear?”
“Get him off my property Beth. I don’t want him here any longer,”
mum said, glaring at my father and shaking.
“With pleasure,” Beth replied and looked over at Jack.
“What is going on?” Jack asked, standing next to me and wrapping
an arm around my shoulder, making me feel safe.
“Get your hands off my daughter!” Saul said and started to stalk to-
wards Jack.
“I take it you are Saul? Well, listen here, you can attack me all you
want, but you will come off second best. I am a good fighter and more
of a father figure to Brianna than you ever has been. Her grandfather
even agrees with me on that one,” Jack said, in a cold voice.
“Oh and what do you do to make you a better father than me?” Saul
asked, expecting to win this fight.
“I don’t get up and leave my kids for one and I am there for them
when they need me and I treat them how they need to be treated. With
respect. I don’t hate them because they look like their mother and not
their father,” Jack replied. “I class Brianna as my daughter because she
is dating my son and Nathaniel informed me of what you are like and I
truly believe him. Now, get off this property and never return before I
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call the police or use force myself.”
“I’ll like you see you try and use force. You look weak and I’m pretty
sure I would be able to fight you off if you started something.”
“Get off Marie’s property now,” Beth said, catching Saul’s attention
and her eyes starting to glaze over. “And if you know what is good for
you, you will never return either.”
“And what will you do if I keep on returning?” he asked.
“Let’s just say it won’t end well,” Beth warned.
I knew what she meant by that. It would end up in bloodshed and as
much as I didn’t approve of innocent lives being lost due to vampires
losing control, I wouldn’t stop them if they attacked Saul. For some
strange reason, I would embrace it.
“Fine, I’ll go but I will be in touch Marie,” he said walking away from
us and over to his car.
“I don’t ever want to see him again,” mum said, going inside and
slamming the door behind her.
“I told him not to come here and Nathaniel did the same thing, and
what does he do? He ends up coming and causing my mother more
pain,” I said.
Beth pulled me in her embrace and whispered to me that everything
was going to be okay, but for some reason, I didn’t believe her. Now
that my father knew where we lived and had spoken to us, he was going
to be around more often and that wasn’t going to end well between
mum and the Pryor’s on his case. It was going to end in bloodshed and it
wasn’t going to be pretty.
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